Boxer Sporadic Aggressiveness

Question
QUESTION: hi Nicole, i live in a family with 3 kids ( 16, 12, 10 years old). Our boxer is 7
months old today. He is a chriptorchid (both of his testicles haven't dropped).
He is a great and sweet dog most of the time. The problem is that he will
sometimes jump up at us and have a very mean growl. He doesn't necessarily
bite, but it is like we are being attacked. We are very frightened and don't
want to give him away. It has happened on walks and in the house. He even
did it to my husband who the dog usually respects. We don't know what we
are doing wrong. please help us. Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Neir,

It's difficult to diagnose a behavioral issue like aggression over the internet so my advice to you may be spot on or it could be miles off.  It's always a good idea, when dealing with 'aggression' to consult a behaviorist, or, at the very least, a trainer, for a personal evaluation.

9x out of 10, a 7 month old puppy is not aggressive.  Boxers are very vocal and tend to jump (a lot) when they play.  It could very well be that he is initiating play, albeit in an undesired way, and it's being misinterpreted.  It can also be a sign of over-stimulation (excitement).

First thing is that he should be neutered as soon as possible.  Most vets will wait about 6 months to see if the second testicle drops...neutering at 7 months is perfect.  Make him an appointment and get it done.  :)  An undescended testicle becomes overheated and can eventually lead to health issues, including testicular cancer.

Next...when he displays this behavior how is it handled?  The best thing to do is to give him a firm 'eh-eh' (save NO for the big things), cross your arms and turn your back.  Don't give him any attention until you feel that he has calmed down.  Attention is eye contact, talk and/or touch.

The next thing would be to be especially vigilant with the children and don't let them play roughly with him.  No wrestling, no tug games, no running.  A dog that is easily excitable does horrible with these types of games.  :)  All calm play and exercise should be initiated by a human and ended by a human.  Teaching him obedience 'tricks' would help as well as it will give his mind something to work at.

At his age he should be getting walked approximately 30 minutes twice a day.  This will also tire his mind, more so than unstructured play.

The NILF method is something that may help you as well.  Google 'NILF dog training' and you'll get several sites that explain it far better than I can in this limited space.

Good luck and if you have more questions, please let me know

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks you o much for the fast response. we have contacted Barbbusters a
week ago and had our first session which was about 5 hours long. We talk a
lot but not that much on this issue. What is the difference between a
behaviorist and a trainer?? will he calm down after being neutered? What happens if i cross my arms and turn my back during the jumping and
growling and he just continues doing it (if it starts to hurt me i can't just
stand there)?? can i please contact you via telephone because you sound very
educated about boxers and i will love to speak with you on the phone for a
better understanding. my number is 954 - 755 - 4787. please let me know if
we can speak on the phone and maybe this problem can be fixed. Thanks so
much. Neir

Answer
A behaviorist is trained in animal behaviors...jumping, whining, barking, anxieties, etc. while a trainer shows you how to teach your dog to sit.  Make sense?

Whether he calms or not after being neutered is an individual thing.  He may or may not.  Neutering him is not to effect his behavioral issues, it's for his health at this point.

He will keep doing it.  Turning your back isn't going to be like flipping a light switch.  However, when you yell or push or knee in the chest or whatever you've been doing, you're giving him attention.  A dog seeking attention doesn't care if it's positive or negative and when he receives that attention, he's been rewarded...thus continuing the behavior.  There is no reason you shouldn't be able to wait him out...he's not going to continue after a few jumps.  If he persists past 5 minutes, let me know.

I'm sorry but no.  I will be more than happy to continuing to answer your questions via the internet though.  :)  And you're paying Barkbusters good money.  Before your next session you should make a list of the behaviors you want corrected and have a good discussion about them.  See if they can help you.